I’ve said it before (or maybe I haven’t, because I say so much stuff in these descriptions that I lose track of all my opinions sometimes), but Ersan “Arsen Ilyasov from Uzbekistan” Ilyasova is the second-best player on the 76ers, and it’s not even close. He would challenge for tops on the team if Joel Embiid wasn’t putting up rookie Shaq numbers. Baby Peja has a streak of double-digit scoring games dating back to the beginning of December, and while he’s had a few disappointing games in terms of shooting percentages, his teammates have been way more disappointing overall.
Ever since Arsen got smuggled into Turkey as a young teenager, we’re not exactly sure what his true age is. If we believe Arsen’s stated age, he’s 29 years old and nearing the end of his prime. If we believe the conspiracy theorists, he’s 34 years old and his body will give out at any second. Luckily for Arsen, he doesn’t do much dunking or running in the first place, so if his body does give out, he’ll be able to hide behind his jumpshots for a considerable amount of time. Maybe his body is already broken and this is how he plays when his back and legs are shot.
All I know is I want at least one more full season of Ilyasova being the second option on offense for a team. Hopefully he doesn’t die of old age before that happens.